Withdrawal of Bagbin’s military guards: An attempt to strip him off security protection
The office of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has described the withdrawal of military persons assigned to offer protection to him as an "attempt to strip him of security protection".
“In a country that takes pride in its democratic institutions and processes, the decision to reduce the number of security personnel assigned to the Speaker detracts from the political gains that Ghana has made, and is a bad precedent. The unknown reason for such a move is puzzling, but the real motive should be obvious to all objective observers of the political scene in Ghana”, it said in a statement.
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The office also noted that the development sets the Speaker up for harm, “If it is an attempt to gag the Speaker, this move will serve to only widen the gap between the legislature and the other arms of government. It also hints at the possibility of a plot to place the safety and security of the Speaker in harm’s way.”
A letter from the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, NP Andoh to the Speaker said the soldiers were attached ‘without proper procedure.’
Read the full statement below
RT. HON. SPEAKER, ALBAN S.K. BAGBIN, STRIPPED OFF SECURITY COVER
The office of the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Alban S.K. Bagbin, has taken note of the withdrawal of four military officers posted to assist in the protection of the Speaker. The attempt to strip the Speaker off security protection is untenable. In a country that takes pride in its democratic institutions and processes, the decision to reduce the number of security personnel assigned to
the Speaker detracts from the political gains that Ghana has made, and is a bad precedent.
The unknown reason for such a move is puzzling, but the real motive should be obvious to all objective observers of the political scene in Ghana. If it is an attempt to gag the Speaker, this move will serve to only widen the gap between the legislature and the other arms of government. It also hints at the possibility of a plot to place the safety and security of the Speaker in harm’s way.
The citizens of this country yearned for an effective separation of powers as well as check and balance, and voted to have a hung Parliament. They are looking for a lot more consultation, consensus building and dialogue. This move contrasts with that and certainly is a bad precedent.
In decisions such as these, we must ensure that we are guided by the overall interest of this country and the sustenance of our democracy and its institutions.
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